1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to extendable tools and, more specifically, to an extendable reaching tool.
2. Background Information
Extendable tools are typically used to interact with overhead objects that may be close or remote. For example, a fruit picker may be able to reach fruit on the bottom of a tree by hand, need a short tool for slightly higher fruit, and a longer tool for fruit near the top of the tree. An extendable tool typically includes an extendable shaft having one or more hollow members disposed in a telescoping relationship. Thus, a user may collapse the shaft when working on/with a close object, or, extend the shaft members when working on a remote object. The shaft members are typically maintained in place by a pin passing through at least two shaft members or a compressive collar.
Some extendable tools have fixed tool heads, e.g. a dust mop, or a flexible tool head, e.g. a device for swapping out light bulbs that has spring-like fingers. As used herein, such devices are not actuatable tool head assemblies as used herein. Other extendable tools include a hand powered actuatable tool head assembly having movable elements, such as, but not limited to, a tree pruner. Such devices typically have a movable blade and a stationary blade/anvil, or, two moving blades. Such extendable tools with an actuatable tool head assembly require a drive assembly in order to allow the user at the bottom end of the extendable tool to actuate the tool head at the upper end of the extendable tool. Devices such as a traditional tree pruner have an external drive assembly, typically including a rope and at least one pulley. Such external drive assemblies are prone to damage, entanglement and other problems.
Internal drive assemblies for extendable tools are typically complex assemblies that are difficult and/or time consuming to assemble. Such internal drive assemblies are complex because the elements must be operable in both the retracted and extended configurations of the handle shaft, but remain enclosed within the shaft where the user cannot, typically, reach the drive assembly elements. That is, for example, the user is not able to access and actuate a locking assembly structured to lock the internal drive assembly components in either the extended or retracted configurations.
One solution is to provide a handle shaft with an access opening to the “internal drive assembly components.” Of course, this is not a true internal drive assembly, but rather a partially enclosed external drive assembly. Such assemblies are also prone to clogging with debris, damage, entanglement and other problems. Another solution is to provide a tension member, typically a rope, that is looped about pulleys structured to move together as the shafts move apart. Other internal drive assemblies rely upon rigid drive rods having linking assemblies with ratchet-and-pawl type connectors, see U.S. Pat. No. 6,513,844 (FIG. 6), or connector pins that pass through both drive rods, see U.S. Pat. No. 6,571,479 (FIG. 2-B). Such devices require the internal components to align properly as the user extends/collapses the shaft. Unfortunately, such devices do not always operate as intended and alignment is adversely affected over time as the internal components degrade and/or rust.